Tracheostomy bib

ABSTRACT

The combination of a tracheostomy bib and a pipe support collar includes a front wall connected to a back wall together defining a pocket which includes a pocket opening and a bottom. The front wall and back wall are connected at a right side and a left side and at the bottom to form an enclosed pocket having a pocket opening. The front wall includes an outer top edge which includes a frame for maintaining the pocket opening in an open position. The bib further includes supports for fastening the bib to the pipe support collar.

The present invention claims priority from previously filed U.S. provisional patent application 61/378,074 filed Aug. 30, 2010 by Marsilia Didiodato under the title TRACHEOSTOMY BIB.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for filtering and conditioning air inhaled through a stoma pipe and for collection of secretions emanating from the stoma pipe outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tracheostomy and tracheotomy are surgical procedures on the neck to open a direct airway through an incision in the trachea (the windpipe). They are performed by paramedics, veterinarians, emergency physicians and surgeons. Tracheotomy and Tracheostomy refers to a procedure of cutting into the trachea and is an emergency procedure for reviving suffocating patients in order to open their airway.

In emergency situations where a patient is suffocating for any number of reasons, a trachea incision is made usually through the second and third tracheal ring and a tracheostomy tube is inserted into the incision in order to allow for the passage of air into the trachea. The opening created by the incision is often called the stoma and the tracheostomy tube is often referred to as a “stoma” and/or a “stoma pipe” and/or simply as a “pipe”. The tracheostomy tube (pipe) is placed into the incision created by the physicians in order to ensure that the stoma or the opening remains open and allows for the passage way of air there through.

Patients which have received tracheotomies with a pipe in place inhale and exhale the air required for breathing through the stoma pipe. This procedure circumvents the natural entryway of air into the lungs namely through either the mouth and/or the nose. The filtering and other functions that the nose and mouth carryout are no longer available to the passageway of air into the trachea.

Secretions of many kinds exit from the pipe, for example if the patient coughs and/or sneezes, mucus and/or other secretions may be exhaled from the pipe outlet in an uncontrolled manner.

Additionally during inhalation, there is no filtering of the air and/or prevention of particles entering directly into the lungs through the pipe. There is a need for a device which filters and conditions air inhaled through the stoma pipe and also collects and manages mucus and other secretions that are expelled from the pipe outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present device a tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 4 is a back elevational view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional schematic view showing portions of the outer top edge of the frame.

FIG. 6 is a front top schematic perspective view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of a tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 10 is a back elevational view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 11 is a top front schematic partial cut away perspective view of the tracheostomy bib shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the present device a tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 15 is a back elevational view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 16 is a partial expanded cross sectional schematic view showing portions of the outer top edge of the frame.

FIG. 17 is a front top schematic partial cut away perspective view of the tracheostomy bib.

FIG. 18 is a front schematic perspective view of the tracheostomy bib deployed onto the neck of a person.

FIG. 19 is a schematic side perspective view of the tracheostomy bib deployed onto a person.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present device a tracheostomy bib is shown generally as 100, 200 and 300 in the attached figures.

Referring first of all to the first embodiment of the present invention which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 as well as in FIGS. 18 and 19, tracheostomy bib 100 includes the following major components, namely back wall 102, front wall 104, bottom 106, outer top edge 108, inner top edge 110, frame 112, wire frame 114, a right support strip 116, a left support strip 118, and hook and loop fasteners 120.

Back wall 102 together with front wall 104 defines a pocket 122 having an opening 124 in the top thereof. The walls 102 and 104 may be made of any suitable material including but not limited to traditional cloths, absorbent materials, filter materials, synthetics such as nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and or other plastic materials.

Opening 124 preferably extends from the right side 130 over to the left side 132 and the boundary of the opening is defined roughly by the outer top edge 108 on the front wall 104 and inner top edge 110 on the back wall 102.

Referring now to FIG. 5, frame 112 preferably includes a wire frame 114 sewn into wire pocket 105 which in the drawings extends along the outer top edge 108 of front wall 104. The wire frame 114 may also extend around the entire outer top edge 108 and inner top edge 110. The purpose of wire frame 114 is to ensure that opening 124 is maintained in the open position 125, thereby ensuring that there is a well defined pocket 122 having a large opening 124 as depicted in cross section in FIG. 3. Wire frame 114 may in fact be metal, however it may also be plastic, wood or any other suitable material which has the necessary rigidity, stiffness and flexibility to maintain opening 124 in the open position 125. Note that outer top edge 108 is curved or U shaped when viewed from above. The legs of the U 127 defining approximately the pocket depth 129. Pocket depth 129 is the space between the front wall 104 and the back wall 102 at the center 3-3 in FIG. 2 of outer top edge 108.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 11, tracheostomy bib shown generally as alternate embodiment 200 includes almost of the all the same components as shown for tracheostomy bib 100 with the exception that frame 208 includes a plastic band 210 and plastic ribs 212 in addition to or instead of the wire frame 114. The purpose of frame 208 which is comprised of plastic band 210 and plastic ribs 212 is to maintain opening 124 in the open position 125, thereby maintaining a well defined pocket 122. Plastic band extends around the outer top edge 108 of front wall 104 as shown in the drawings. Plastic ribs 212 are positioned in a bottom portion pocket 231 and are generally U or J shaped reinforcing and/or stiffening ribs wherein plastic band 210 together with plastic ribs 212 ensure that pocket opening 124 remains in the open position 125 having pocket depth of 129 and well defined bottom 206 having a bottom portion pocket 231. Tracheostomy bib 200 includes the following major components, namely back wall 102, front wall 104, bottom 106, outer top edge 108, inner top edge 110, frame 208, a right support strip 116, a left support strip 118, a hook and loop fasteners 120. Back wall 102 together with front wall 104 defines a pocket 122 having an opening 124 in the top thereof.

Referring now to an alternate embodiment namely tracheostomy bib 300 shown in FIGS. 12 through 17 includes almost all of the same components as tracheostomy bib 100, except that the frame 312 includes a cardboard sheath 314 instead of or in addition to the wire frame 114. Cardboard sheath 314 again functions to ensure that opening 124 is maintained in the open position 125 and that there is a well defined pocket 122. Cardboard sheath 314 extends across the entire front wall 104, except for a cut out portion 316 which may or may not be included. Tracheostomy bib 300 includes the following major components, namely back wall 102, front wall 104, bottom 106, outer top edge 108, inner top edge 110, frame 312, a right support strip 116, a left support strip 118, a hook and loop fasteners 120. Back wall 102 together with front wall 104 defines a pocket 122 having an opening 124 in the top thereof.

Cardboard sheath 314 could be made of other materials including sheet paper board material, sheet plastic material, sheet metal materials as well plastic band 210 and plastic ribs 212 could also be made of other materials such as wood and/or metal and/or any other materials that may be suitable.

It is possible to use some features from one embodiment with another embodiment. For example tracheostomy bib 100 may include the plastic ribs 212 shown in tracheostomy bib 200 and/or the card board sheet 314 shown in tracheostomy bib 300.

In Use

Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, tracheostomy bib 100 is shown deployed on person 400 which has been subject to a tracheotomy and the insertion of a stoma pipe 410. In this specification the words “stoma pipe” and simply the word “pipe” mean the same thing, namely the stoma pipe 410 which is inserted during the tracheotomy procedure as shown in FIG. 18.

When a stoma pipe 410 is installed into the trachea of a person 400 in the neck region 402 just below the head 404, the stoma pipe 410 is supported usually with a pipe support collar 414 as depicted in FIG. 18. The pipe support collar 414 simply ensures that the pipe 410 is maintained in a certain orientation comfortable to the user and ensure that unobstructed breathing of the person with the tracheotomy. Stoma pipe 414 is normally a fairly short pipe being approximately ¾ to as much 2 inches long terminating at a pipe outlet 412. Mucus and excretions are expelled out of pipe outlet 412 and air is inhaled through pipe outlet 412 into the trachea and lungs of person 400. Tracheotomy bib 100 is releasably secured to the pipe support collar 414 which is hung around the neck 402 of person 400. Each of the right support strip 116 and left support strips 118 are wrapped around pipe support collar 414 as depicted and releasably held in place with hook and loop fasteners 120 positioned suitably in order to support and hold tracheostomy bib 100 in place.

The outer top edge 108 of tracheostomy bib 100 is high enough such that the pipe outlet 412 terminates inside pocket 122 just below outer top edge 108 of tracheostomy bib 100. In this manner if there are any mucus excretions expelled from pipe outlet 412, they will be collected within pocket 122 and front wall 104 of tracheostomy bib 100 which will prevent uncontrolled disbursement of excretions from the pipe outlet 412.

As best seen in FIGS. 18 and 19, should person 400 sneeze or cough and expel mucus or other fluids from the pipe outlet 412 of stoma pipe 410, they will caught and stored in pocket 122.

Fluids which are expelled from stoma pipe 410 will be held and collected at the bottom 106 of pocket 122 thereby ensuring that these excretions are kept well away from pipe outlet 412.

Similarly when a person is inhaling, the tracheostomy bib 100 acts as a filter ensuring that foreign particles are not accidentally ingested through stoma pipe 410.

It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. In combination a tracheostomy bib and a pipe support collar, comprising: a) a front wall connected to a back wall together defining a pocket which includes a pocket opening and a bottom; b) the front wall and back wall are connected at a right side and a left side and at the bottom to form an enclosed pocket having a pocket opening; c) the front wall including an outer top edge includes a frame means for maintaining the pocket and pocket opening in an open position; d) the bib further includes a support means for fastening the bib to the pipe support collar.
 2. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame means including wire frame extending along the outer top edge of the front wall, the wire frame maintaining a predetermined pocket depth of the pocket opening, and the pocket in the open position.
 3. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein the wire frame is sewn into a wire pocket extending along the outer top edge.
 4. The combination claimed in claim 2 further including plastic ribs positioned in a bottom portion pocket to maintain the pocket including the bottom portion pocket in the open position.
 5. The combination claimed in claim 4 wherein the plastic ribs are generally U shaped in cross section.
 6. The combination claimed in claim 2 further includes a card board sheet stiffening member for ensuring the pocket remains ion the open position.
 7. The combination claimed in claim 2 wherein the bib further includes a plastic band extending along the outer top edge of the front wall, the plastic band maintaining a predetermined pocket depth of the pocket opening and the pocket in the open position.
 8. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame means includes a plastic band extending along the outer top edge of the front wall, the plastic band maintaining a predetermined pocket depth of the pocket opening and the pocket in the open position.
 9. The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein the frame means includes plastic ribs positioned in a bottom portion pocket to maintain the pocket including the bottom portion pocket in the open position.
 10. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein the support means further includes a right support strip and a left support strip for fastening the bib to the pipe support collar. 